Staff Reporter :
Tens of thousands of Muslims in the capital on Thursday urged the Indian government to change its policy of oppression against the Muslims.
Some of them said that the Indian government cannot evade the responsibility when its party members make derogatory remarks about the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Leaders of the Islamic Andolon Bangladesh made the remarks at a rally in the North Gate of the national Mosque Baitul Mokarram before submitting a memorandum to the Indian High Commission as part of their protest for not bringing the BJP suspended leaders under trial for their alleged derogatory comments
In the memorandum signed by Syed Md Rezaul Karim, Amir of Islami Andolan Bangladesh, it is said that the world Muslims would not tolerate such disgusting remarks of the BJP leaders.
“We think that Nupur Sharma and Naveen Jindal are a continuation of the anti- Muslim policies of the present ruling BJP and its branches. We, the Muslims of Bangladesh, along with all the peace loving people of the world, hatefully reject such heinous activities of some leaders of the ruling party of India,” it added.
It also said that although the ruling party had removed Nupur Sharma and Naveen Jindal from office under domestic and foreign pressure, we demand their arrest and exemplary punishment for this provocative statement.
At the same time, for the sake of peace and harmony, we, the representative of major Muslim community of Bangladesh, are requesting the ruling BJP to change its unfair policy and attitude towards Muslims who deserve equality and justice.
The memorandum also mentioned that since India’s current ruling party BJP came to power, Indian Muslims have been facing an uncomfortable situation.
Various political decisions taken by the present BJP government are harming the Muslims interest and a lot of cases have been filed against them by the Hindus for bringing fairy-tale allegation.
Islami Andolon Bangladesh also urged the Indian Prime Minister to take necessary steps to control the leaders of BJP and their allies from their unethical activities, to establish peace and harmony.
Earlier on June 10, the Islamic leaders said that they would bring out mass rally towards the Indian High Commission in the capital on Thursday and submit memorandum if the responsible persons were not brought under trial. Even they urged the government of Bangladesh to table a motion in the current parliamentary session to condemn the derogatory remarks but the government did not respond to their call so far.
As part of their pre-announced programme, thousands of Muslims gathered in front of the North Gate of the national Mosque Baitul Mokarram around 11 am.
The whole area was reverberated with the anti-Indian slogans and demands were raised to immediately arrest Nupur Sharma and Jindal and to ensure the punishment to them. The Muslims leaders and activists also warned that they would boycott the Indian products if Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) does not stop ‘heinous’ activities against the Muslims in India.
Syed Md Rezaul Karim at the rally said, “The current government of Bangladesh cannot be said as the government of the Muslims. It is a subservient government of India. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is not running the country with the Madina charter rather it is following the charter of Modi.”
He demanded to the government to table a motion in the parliament to condemn the derogatory comments hurting the Prophet (PBUH).
“The houses of the Muslims in India are being demolished. It is an act of an uncivilised government against the humanity. It proves the Indians are barbarous nation. People of various faiths in Bangladesh are living in coexistence,” he added.
He also urged all to remain alert so that no unpleasant incident occurs in Bangladesh due to the injustice committed in India.
After the rally, thousands of Muslims led by Syed Md Rezaul Karim marched towards the Indian High Commission in the Diplomatic Zone of the capital.
But when the procession reached Shantinagar, police raised barbed-wire barricade to resist their movement, which prompted much excitement among the followers but party chief requested them to cool down.
Later a five-member delegation led by Presidium Member of the Islami Andolon Principal Syed Mossadeq Billah Madani handed over the memorandum to the High Commission.
The other members were Joint General Secretary Engineer Ashraful Alam, Assistant Secretary General Maulana Sheikh Fazle Bari Masud and Maulana Imtiaz Alam and Co-Organising Secretary Professor Syed Belayet Hossain.
They also urged the international forums including United Nations and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation to take immediate action against the Indian government’s disparity attitude against the Muslims.
